Pad met door ezels getrokken kar before 1920

Donald Mennie made this print of a donkey cart seemingly from observation; though it could have been created in the studio too. The muted tones create a subdued atmosphere, almost as if the scene is emerging from a haze. Look closely at the way Mennie has built up the image through layers of tone. See that dark area towards the top? The way it fades into lighter shades gives the impression of depth, as if we're looking into the distance. The texture of the print itself adds another layer, it's smooth in some areas and almost grainy in others, which reminds me of the work of Gerhard Richter. There's a softness here, a lack of sharp edges, which invites you to fill in the gaps with your imagination. It’s about suggestion rather than definition, inviting a more intimate, reflective kind of looking. Ultimately, art is a journey, not a destination, right?